Religion Commons^™

Jesus Music: The Story Of The Jesus Movement And Evaluation Of Its Musical Impact, Shimon K. Galiley

Senior Honors Theses

Few recent historical developments have had as much impact on American Evangelical Christianity as the Jesus Movement. Dating back only a few decades, this movement resulted in the conversion of many countercultural youth and the consequent revitalization of many American churches. One of the greatest impacts of the Jesus Movement was its new music which came to be known as “Jesus Music.”

This thesis describes the history of the Jesus Movement and the musical impact it had on American Evangelical Christianity.

Divorce And Remarriage: Applying Biblical Standards To A Modern Culture, John E. Grab Jr.

Senior Honors Theses

Divorce rates in America have reached historic levels. The American home has been exposed to disruption and fragmentation that has radically changed the culture of the American family. Furthermore, the uniqueness of the American situation resides in the near-apathetic approach that the American public has taken to the issue. Divorce rates are historically high and the American home is drastically changing, yet the American culture neglects the issue both in the local community of the church and the home and in the public arena of politics and government. By examining the biblical foundation of marriage, one can transition from principle …

What You Need To Know About ... Him (Part Seven), Harold Willmington

No abstract provided.

Review: The Facilitator Era: Beyond Pioneer Church Multiplication, Edward L. Smither

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (1973-2015)

No abstract provided.

Lessons From A Tentmaking Ascetic In The Egyptian Desert: The Case Of Evagrius Of Pontus, Edward L. Smither

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (1973-2015)

In this article, an invitation is given to modern practitioners and thinkers on missionary tentmaking - especially those from the majority world- to reflect on the apparent tentmaking approach of the fourth-century monk Evagrius of Pontus (c. 345-399). Though not a missionary himself, Evagrius proved to be innovative in his approach to work, which sustained his primary spiritual calling- monasticism. After exploring the necessity and context for his manual labor, his theology of work and the relationship between physical and spiritual labor will be considered. Finally, some suggestions for applying Evagrius' tentmaking principles will be offered.

A Leadership Training Manual For The 21st Century Church Leader Based On The Pattern And Principles Jesus Created To Train The Twelve Apostles, Gregory Bruce Baxter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian leadership training for pastors, missionaries, and lay leaders is mostly patterned after academic, business, military, and government models. This leads to a pragmatic, secular, and American approach to building Churches and advancing the Kingdom of God. Secular models of leadership training can inform and supplement but never usurp scriptural principles and values. The best Christian leadership training pattern is the one Jesus created to train the twelve Apostles. This model is found predominately in the gospels. The template this writer will follow is based on A. B. Bruce's 19th century seminal work, The Training of the Twelve. This training …

The Paradoxical Beauty Of The Cross: Theological Aesthetics And The Doctrine Of The Atonement In Athanasius’ Contra Gentes-De Incarnatio, Marcus Little

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

In his two-part treatise Contra Gentes-De Incarnatio, Athanasius offers an interesting apologetic for the Christian doctrine of the atonement by employing various aesthetic themes and forms of expression drawn from the classical notion of beauty found particularly in the Platonic and neo-Platonic traditions. Although Athanasius never mentions the term “beauty” in Contra Gentes-De Incarnatio, the concept certainly looms in the background. Writing against the Platonic, Epicurean, and Stoic systems of his day, Athanasius centers his apologetic on the philosophical tension evident in the doctrine of divine transcendence/immanence. This paper argues that Athanasius implicitly characterizes the tension of divine transcendence/ immanence …

Cyprian And His Role As The Faithful Bishop In Response To The Lapsed, The Martyrs, And The Confessors Following The Decian Persecution, Gordon D. Harris

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

In 249 A.D., in an attempt to bring about a renewal in the devotion to Roman authority and the Roman gods, Roman Emperor Decian issued an edict. The edict called for Roman citizens to take part in a simple sacrifice to the Roman deities. Cyprian, the recently named bishop of Carthage, opted to flee the city and avoid the persecution. Upon his return to Carthage in 251 A.D., Cyprian was forced to deal with the results of the persecution among those who had given in to the edict and those who had resisted. He did so with his now famous …

Hans-Georg Gadamer: His Philosophical Hermeneutics And Its Importance For Evangelical Biblical Hermeneutics, Russell Meek

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

Hans-Georg Gadamer’s influence on hermeneutics can hardly be understated. This article offers an evangelical perspective on the importance of his work and how it can be used to interpret the biblical text more faithfully. It discusses his influences and some of the major aspects of his work and offers suggestions for applying his work to biblical hermeneutics. The article concludes that his work is vitally important and should be utilized by the biblical interpreter, though not without caution.

Scholarship And Ministry In The Life And Thought Of Augustine, Anthony C. Thornhill

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

Augustine is frequently recognized as one of the greatest Christian theologians in all of church history. His influence extends to both Protestant and Catholic circles, and his numerous theological works are still referenced by today's students of theology. The context of his theological writings are often overlooked. While he did, on occasion, seek to write weighty and intricate theological works, his primary focus was upon better equipping himself to minister to the believers he served as the bishop of Hippo. This is clearly evidenced in his sermons and his letters, which provide an important window into his historical context.

Book Reviews

Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal

Review by Shane Kraeger of Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament: Colossians and Philemon. by Murray J. Harris. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2010. xxxii + 272 pp., $24.99.

Review by Joshua C. Stone of To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World by James Davison Hunter. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010, 358pp., $27.95.

Review by R. Lee Webb of Interpreting the Psalms for Teaching and Preaching. Eds. Herbert W. Bateman IV and D. Brent Sandy. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2010, 292 pp., $34.99.

Review by Roberto Rodriguez-Nunez of Augustine as …

Practical Strategies For 21st Century Healthy Church Growth As A Model Of A Sung Jin Presbyterian Church, Duksoo Jang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to help Korean pastors to build their churches healthily. This dissertation will attempt to clarify the biblical definition and purpose of the church, and describe the characteristics of healthy church growth suggested by specialists. This dissertation will also provide a brief history, vision, ministry of Sung Jin Presbyterian Church as a model for healthy growing church, and analyze and evaluate the current situation of the SJPC based on Natural Church Development written by Dr. Christian A. Schwarz, who suggests eight quality characteristics of growing healthy Churches. Finally, this dissertation will suggest the twelve strategies …

What You Need To Know About Date-Setting (Part Two), Harold Willmington

No abstract provided.

The Great Commissioning: An Exegesis Of Matthew 28:16-20, Ryan Kendall Phelps

Masters Theses

Throughout the history of Christianity, evangelism has been an often-discussed topic. At certain times the discussion has revolved around the question of whether or not there is a command to actively seek out unbelievers for the purpose of evangelism in the Bible that applies to Christians in the world they live in. One of the most common verses cited as a command for evangelism is Matthew 28:18-20, commonly called the "Great Commission." However, some Christians argue that this is a command for discipleship and not evangelism. While it is hard to make a distinction based on this verse alone, Matthew …

Is The Modern Parachurch A Reflection Of Misguided Ecclesiology?, Joshua A. Haywood

Senior Honors Theses

In light of the present situation of Christianity, it has become necessary to examine the biblical basis for ministries outside the normal parameters of the Church. One of the biggest problems with addressing this issue is that of defining the parachurch. An accurate and sufficient definition for what constitutes a parachurch ministry requires an investigation into biblical ecclesiology. The relationship between parachurch ministries and the local and universal church must be established in a time when the lines between them are blurred. Some basic principles need to be established which describe what constitutes a biblical reason for the creation of …

Luke 18:9-14: An Expositional And Literary Discussion On The Parable On The Pharisee And Tax Collector, Nathan A. Schwenk

Senior Honors Theses

In the third Gospel of the New Testament, Luke consistently writes about the Pharisees and their piety pronouncing woes and judgments upon them. Representing the religious leaders of that day, they exalted themselves above everyone else and most of all, tax collectors, who are the epitome of sinners. However, the principle of the great reversal is a prominent theme in Luke’s Gospel, in which the exalted are humbled and the humble are exalted. Multiple times Jesus uses this principle to completely transform peoples’ mindset on who is greatest in the world.

This thesis will offer an extensive exposition on the …

The Authorship Of The Johannine Epistles, Thaddaeus S. Taylor

Senior Honors Theses

The first century church believed Jesus’ return would be immediate and as a result, compiling the writings of the apostles was not an immediate priority. In the few hundred years that followed, authentic letters from apostles as well as pseudepigraphical works had begun to circulate. Therefore, a process began of acceptance and rejection for the writings. The book of 1 John was immediately accepted into the Canon along with the Gospel of John. However, 2 John and 3 John were at first disputed and then later included in the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. This thesis will examine the …

Bible Translation And Anthropology: The Superiority Of A Dynamic Equivalence Method Of Translation, Kathryn Hedrick

Senior Honors Theses

Bible translation has taken many forms and employed many methods in the past centuries since it was compiled and formalized. Methods of translation range from highly literal to unduly free, with several intervals between the two. In order to come to an accurate translation that can be properly understood by people far removed from the time and culture of the Bible, translators must employ cultural anthropology to understood the culture they are trying to reach. This use of anthropology, combined with a dynamic-equivalence method of translation, produces the most effective and universally understandable translation of the Christian Bible.

The Sacrifice Of The Life-Giving Death: The Atonement And Its Theological Presuppositions In Eastern Orthodox Soteriology, Daniel L. Marchant

Senior Honors Theses

Whereas much Western theology tends to portray the sacrifice of Christ as an act of penal substitution, the patristic tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church emphasizes an understanding of Christ's atoning work that is participatory rather than substitutionary, ontological rather than juridical, and cosmic rather than individual. These differences in emphasis arise from different understandings of such foundational doctrines as man's original created nature, the fall, and the Old Testament sacrificial system.

Since man was created in a dynamic condition in the image of God, called to attain to the likeness through deification in the energies of God, and as …

The Identity Of The Διψυχος In The Shepherd Of Hermas, Jeremiah Mutie

SOR Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

What You Need To Know About Two Of History's Greatest Events, Harold Willmington

No abstract provided.

What You Need To Know About ... Him, Harold Willmington

No abstract provided.

What You Need To Know About ... Him (Part Four), Harold Willmington

No abstract provided.

What You Need To Know About ... Him (Part Five), Harold Willmington

No abstract provided.

What You Need To Know About ... Him (Part Six), Harold Willmington

No abstract provided.

Bridging The “Excluded Middle”: The Case Of Brazilian Evangelical Missionaries Serving Among Arab-Muslims, Edward L. Smither

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (1973-2015)

Since Paul Hiebert first challenged missiological reflection with his notion of the “excluded middle,” missiologists and practitioners from the West have been forced to face the deficiencies of a rationalistic worldview; especially when serving in animistic contexts. Hiebert, Bill Musk, Rick Love, and others have further asserted that Western missionaries serving among Folk Muslims need to be better equipped to minister to the felt needs of their host peoples. While the literature and evidence of missionary practice suggest that North Americans and Europeans are working hard to climb “learning curve” dealing with this worldview. Missionaries from Brazil serving among Arab-Muslims …

Book Review: Recovering The Real Lost Gospel: Reclaiming The Gospel As Good News, A. Boyd Luter

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (1973-2015)

No abstract provided.

How To Pray When You Don’T Know What To Say (Spanish), Elmer Towns

Towns Foreign Language Book Collection

No abstract provided.

What Every Sunday School Teacher Should Know About Sunday School (Spanish), Elmer L. Towns

Towns Foreign Language Book Collection

No abstract provided.

Leadership Principles In 2 Corinthians, Gregory A. Smith

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Paul’s relationship with the church at Corinth provides a detailed leadership case study. This is nowhere clearer than in 2 Corinthians, where every chapter displays Paul’s leadership attitudes and practices. Proceeding from the assumption that Paul’s leadership is worthy of emulation, this guide summarizes his behavior under eight headings:

• Accountability & Integrity

• Mission-Centeredness

• Investment in Followers

• Accurate Self-Concept

• Weakness & Adversity

• Assertiveness & Gentleness

• Advocacy

• Shared Responsibility